


the alphabet of love

by orphan_account



Category: Buzzfeed Unsolved (Web Series), Buzzfeed Worth It
Genre: A to Z - Freeform, Almost Kiss, Boys In Love, First Kiss, Flowers, Gay Subtext, Language of Flowers, M/M, Mutual Pining, Pining, Romantic Fluff, Unresolved Romantic Tension, ryan is whipped, shane is WHIPPED
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-09-23
Updated: 2017-10-07
Packaged: 2019-01-04 12:29:03
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 2,263
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12168894
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: twenty-six times shane and ryan are brought closer because of a simple flower.alternatively called an alphabet of flowers that almost always result in a lot of romantic tension.





	1. a is for aster

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> a is for aster and the first almost kiss

**a - aster (love and patience)**

"Why have you got a bunch of flowers?" is the first thing Ryan asks when he sees the soft bouquet that Shane's got in his hands.

Shane giggles, a warm sound that draws up bubbles in Ryan's stomach and makes him smile too, even though he looks more exasperated than surprised, and the action and words that follow are something so like Shane that his exasperation melts into fondness.

"I've got flowers because I wanted to see how many I could balance behind your ears."

"What the fuck, Shane."

He laughs. Ryan sighs, trying to resist the urge to hit his head off a nearby wall. Several times. "I'm serious. What the fuck. Why do you want to balance flowers behind my ears?"

"...Does 'it's for a video' work as an excuse here?"

"No it doesn't, Shane."

"Then no, there's no excuse for it, I just want to balance flowers behind your ears to see how many I can stack up."

Ryan sighs. "Oh. Fine." He shakes his head. "Why am I letting you do this?"

"I dunno." Shane smiles at him. "Now c'mon, lemme balance those flowers."

As Ryan watches, Shane pulls out two or three flowers (he recognizes them as asters). Then he balances one of them on Ryan's ear. His fingers trail over the shell of Ryan's ear and Ryan holds in a whimper, relishing in the feel of skin on skin.

He closes his eyes as the flowers are stacked up and up. They tickle his ears and send tiny clouds of pollen into his nose that make Ryan's nose itch.

"How many are we at?" Ryan asks about five minutes later. He's developed a slight crick in his neck and it hurts to tilt it, as little as he does.

Shane thinks, counts for a second, fingertips resting under his chin for a few more. "Twelve."

Then he laughs, and Ryan laughs with him. He doesn't know why, but... oh well. It doesn't really matter.

Shane pops three more asters on Ryan's ears, letting his fingers rest along the curve of his jaw. Shane leans in slightly, lips parting, and Ryan feels his breathing quicken, and-

"...Oh." 

They both look up, comically frozen, Shane's hand still trailing along his jawline, Ryan's eyes closed and a pleased smile on his face. Ryan blinks his eyes open to see Steven stood in the doorway, gaping soundlessly. He has to fight back a giggle, because he's doing an extremely accurate impression of a goldfish.

"Please tell me this is for a video." Steven says. He sounds almost desperate, like he hopes he isn't seeing what he thinks he is.

Shane shrugs and says, "D'you see any cameras?" just as Ryan says, "Whatever you're thinking, this was Shane's idea!"

A beat of silence before Shane speaks up again. "I thought so."

Steven walks out, face fixed in a slightly glazed expression. Ryan's sure he hears him whisper something like, "I've got to tell everyone else about this they're so married oh my god."

Ryan laughs, and leans further into Shane. "Did you see his face?"

Shane laughs too. "He looked like a goldfish!"


	2. b is for buttercup

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> b is for buttercup   
> (also steven stops them from kissing. again.)

**b - buttercup (humility, neatness, childishness)**

Shane lies on his back in the grass at the top of the hill, and when Ryan walks up it he almost trips over the body lying at his feet. "Jesus fuck!" He yells, almost tripping over his feet.

Shane sighs, and that's when Ryan recognizes it as being Shane, because he's the only one who can sigh and make it sound like a wheeze. 

He's pulled down to Shane's level with a sudden yelp that spills out of his mouth. The other man smiles and turns to face him, something more than fondness in his eyes as he pulls his hands back. Ryan smiles and looks up at the sky. "God, Shane, relax."

Shane laughs and pulls a buttercup out of the ground.

"Have you heard what buttercups mean?"

Ryan hums thoughtfully. "No I haven't, Shane, what do they mean?"

Shane holds the buttercup under Ryan's chin and Ryan laughs as it tickles him slightly. "Well, apparently they mean humility and childishness."

Ryan snorts. "The humility bit doesn't apply to you, definitely. The childishness? Eh, I guess so."

He pauses for a second. "Are you saying I'm a child?"

The other sighs fondly and turns so that he's on his side and facing him. "Maybe I am, Shane. You'll never know."

Shane smiles widely, gently sliding closer to Ryan. He can feel their hearts beating in tandmen, both fast, both breathless with anticipation. Their lips almost touch, there's only a few millimetres between them, and then-

"Ah, shit!" Steven yells, and they both burst away, Ryan trying desperately to calm his racing heart."Um. Sorry."

And Steven runs off then.

Ryan is almost certain he can hear him yell something like, "Why the fuck do I keep stopping them from kissing I just want them to get together is that too much to ask?" But he pushes it to the back of his mind in favor of looking at Shane.

Shane laughs. It sounds awkward, strained, nervous, and Ryan thinks he can understand why. He laughs too.

Ryan tells himself it's because he doesn't want Shane to be alone in his awkwardness.

(It isn't.)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> im gonna try and update every day so if i dont for a day or two please dont kill me


	3. c is for carnation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shane doesn't know why there's dark red carnations on his desk.  
> Honestly, he doesn't.  
> ...Okay, maybe he does.

**c - carnation (deep love, admiration)**

When Shane sees the bouquet of flowers, his first thought is  _I should give those to Ryan._

His second thought, once he registers the first one, is,  _Why would I give them to Ryan, of all people?_

He's not even sure why they're there, he just knows there's flowers on his desk and that he did not ask for them. Did he? No, Shane definitely did not ask for any flowers, especially the weirdly red carnations lying there innocently.

...Okay, maybe he did.

Maybe Shane did ask for flowers. Maybe he did request those weird carnations. That's all a possibility at Buzzfeed, after all, where they'll do anything for a video (including having people lick lube off each other.  _Gross._ ) But he definitely did  _not_ ask for the water that they came soaked in.

"Jesus Christ," Shane yells loudly, lifting them up and watching the water stream off the stems in elegant little waterfalls. "Who the fuck did this? You've soaked my paperwork!"

(Somewhere in the distance, for a reason he did not know, Steven sneezed.)

Shane throws the flowers in the bin, but not before taking one out. He tells himself it is just because they looked pretty, despite their oddness. He told himself it wasn't because it reminded him of Ryan and he wanted to give it to him, no matter how much more odd  _that_ was.

"Hey, Ryan," he yells to his colleague, beckoning for him to come over. "Got something for ya."

When Ryan comes closer, Shane presses the carnation into his hands. "Here ya go."

"...you got me a flower?" Ryan asks, but it's more a statement, one filled with fondness that nobody but them knows is there.

"Yep!" Shane smiles. "You like it?"

Ryan smiles. "It's very pretty." He says carefully.

It's as Shane is looking down at him, and Ryan is looking up, that he realises that Shane has very,  _very_ pretty eyes. Like, wow. He thinks he could drown in them.

They're an inch apart when Steven walks in. "Not again," he sighs quietly. "Why is it always me? I just want them to kiss!" He walks back out, head in his hands.

"I, uh, I should go," Ryan whispers, backing away. 

Shane nods slowly. "Um. Uh. Okay. See you tomorrow?"

"Y-yeah. See you."

He runs out.

 

(Later on, when Ryan is googling something for Buzzfeed Unsolved, he remembers the carnation and looks it up. The deep red one he has means either deep love or deep admiration. He chooses to believe it's the second.

He knows it's the former.)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> steven is a running gag at this point


	4. d is for delphinium

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> d is for delphinium  
> where they finally kiss  
> (also, a side ship is introduced)

**d - delphinium (protection against dangers, openness to new feelings in a romantic way, celebrating positivity)**

One of Shane's favourite flowers is delphinium. It's been his favourite flower since he was a child - he's always loved looking at the tall spires of blue flowers that never fail to fill his vision.

Ryan smiles and sits behind him. "Hey, Shane."

Shane rests some of the delphinium blossoms on his desk. "Got these for you. What do you think?"

"They're very pretty," Ryan says. "What kind of flowers are they? What do they mean?"

Shane balances one of the blossoms on the back of his hand. "They're delphinium," he says. "They represent positivity and protection. Don't worry, they protect you from ghosties and demons too."

(He does not mention the fact that it symbols openness about a romantic feeling. Don't ask why Ryan knows about it - he's not sure )

"Thank you." Ryan says. He walks out of the room, gathering the delphinium up in his arms. He clutches them to his chest. They're a reminder of how adorably sweet Shane is.

Then he stops in his tracks. A whispered, "fuck," leaves his lips.

Because Steven and Andrew are kissing, desperately, almost, and the harsh gasps leaving Steven's mouth are so lewd that it makes Ryan almost retch.

Gulping, he whispers out a, "Damn. I think I know how you felt now," and he runs back to the room where Shane is, a horrified look fixed on his face.

"What happened?" Shane asks, pulling Ryan close as if to protect him from whatever has traumatized him. He knows it won't work (you can't hide from the truth, after all, you can't hide from the real world.)

"Steven... and Andrew... oh wow did they have to start making out in the hallway? I need brain bleach. You got any?" Ryan asks, and it's only half joking, because he wishes he had brain bleach to remove the memory of seeing them kiss from his mind. It wasn't a sight he needed to see.

"Nah, sorry, I think we've run out." Shane jokes. "But, really, they made out in the hallway?"

"Yeah," Ryan grinds out.

He doesn't ignore the way Shane's touches linger on his arms for a few seconds too long. He doesn't ignore the wistful way that Shane looks at him.

"I'll see you tomorrow?" He asks.

"Tomorrow," Ryan says. "I'll see you tomorrow." He pulls Shane down into a hug, then presses a fleeting kiss to his cheek, meeting the corner of his mouth, possibly deliberately, possibly not.

He doesn't miss the way Shane's cheeks flush bright red at the touch. It brings a smile to his face.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> well damn


	5. e is for erythronium

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Well, nobody ever told Ryan that he'd end up in a relationship. He'd always imagined he'd be single forever, but no.
> 
> Shane Madej had to come along and change everything Ryan had ever known.

**e - erythronium** **(stability)**

Well, nobody ever told Ryan that he'd end up in a relationship. He'd always imagined he'd be single forever, but no.

Shane Madej had to come along and change everything Ryan had ever known. 

It started off with the asters, and the gentle touches, and the way Shane's fingers glided ever-so-smoothly over his skin. Then came the buttercups, and the way Shane pulled him close and they very nearly kissed.

Today Shane brings him erythronium. It's one of Ryan's favourite flowers and Shane knows that; maybe that's why he gets him them.

"Thank you, Shane," he says warmly. 

It's probably just his imagination, but Shane's cheeks turn a bit darker with a blush. "Oh, um, you're welcome, Ry," he replies. 

There's a sudden burst of courage in his mind and a golden warmth in his stomach - desperate for something, Ryan pulls Shane down into a sudden, searing kiss. The warmth in his stomach juts up into a sudden, raging inferno and he feels Shane's lips part against his. 

"Oh, wow," he hears Shane whisper against his skin, and he brushes their lips together, "that was nice."

Shane's hips roll up against Ryan's, and a slight, gasping sigh leaves his mouth. Ryan lets his breath warm Shane's skin. "Fuck, Shane," he breathes out.

Shane huffs out a breath. "That was nice." He repeats again. "Would you mind if we kept doing that?" 

"No I wouldn't," Ryan says. "I'd very much like it if you became my boyfriend, Shane."

"Okay, then," Shane says, and they laugh it off and kiss one more time. It's the best thing that Ryan's ever felt.


	6. f is for foxglove

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> f is for foxglove  
> beautiful yet deadly  
> (but only to ghosts)

**f - foxglove (beautiful yet deadly)**

Having a partner was never much of an issue for Shane. He thought he'd be fine with anyone, thought they'd just stay as one-night stands rather than anything serious. Relationships... never really worked out when it came to him.

But then Ryan Bergara came along. Ryan came along and Shane fell fast and he fell hard and it was simultaneously the best and worst thing he'd ever felt. 

Smiling, he holds Ryan's hand slightly tighter than before, and he lets a small laugh bubble up from his stomach. Ryan turns to him and smiles fondly. 

Shane lets Ryan drag him over to a nearby bench and they sit down, looking out over the beach they're walking along. A row of foxgloves wave merrily in the breeze as if they're not deadly.

"They remind me of you," Ryan murmurs, "beautiful yet deadly."

He hums, confused, but doesn't let go of his hand. "How'm I deadly?"

"Dunno," Ryan says. Then he laughs. "Maybe it's 'cause you protect me from the ghosts."

Shane snorts. "Ghosts aren't real, Ry," he says, voice turning deadly serious. "But if they were, I'd protect you from all of them."

So yeah. Relationships may never really work out for Shane Madej, but he was definitely going to try with this one. 

He was going to try, for Ryan.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *internal screaming*  
> i love this one so much


End file.
